Method and apparatus for relaying downhole data to the surface

A method for facilitating the transmission of information between downhole and surface locations during a drilling operation, comprising:

• providing a drillstring having a steerable bottomhole assembly at the lower end thereof and latch down means above said steerable bottomhole assembly;
• running an instrumentation probe assembly into said drillstring on a first wireline and engaging said probe assembly with said latch down means;
• mechanically securing the upper end of said first wireline to clamp-off means at the top of said drillstring and electrically connecting said upper end of said first wireline to the lower end of a cable length wound on a cable cartridge;
• pulling said cable cartridge upwardly into the next pipe joint to be connected to the top of the drillstring while paying out cable therefrom;
• making the pipe joint connection to the top of said drillstring;
• pulling the cable cartridge to the top of the drillstring;
• connecting the upper end of said cable length to a second wireline extending from a packoff assembly above a kelly above said drillstring;
• securing said cable cartridge against upward and downward movement with respect to said drillstring by making up the top of said drillstring to said kelly;
• commencing said drilling operation;
• and
• transmitting information between said instrumentation probe and said packoff assembly during said drilling operation.

An apparatus for the transmission of information between downhole and surface locations, comprising:

• a first wireline extending upwardly within a rotatable drillstring from an instrumentation probe assembly for measuring downhole parameters, said instrumentation probe assembly being located proximate the lower end of said drillstring, the lower end of said first wireline being electrically connected to said instrumentation probe assembly;
• suspension means for mechanically securing the upper end of said first wireline at a location within said drillstring intermediate said instrumentation probe assembly and said surface location;
• cable means extending upwardly from said clamp-off means toward said surface location, the lower end of said cable means being electrically connected to said upper end of said first wireline;
• and
• packoff assembly means for making a pressure-tight electrical connection at said surface location between the upper end of said cable means within said drillstring during rotation thereof and a non-rotating conductor at said surface location.

A method for facilitating the transmission of information between downhole and surface locations during a drilling operation, comprising:

• providing a rotatable drillstring having an instrumentation probe assembly at the lower end thereof;
• disposing a first wireline within said drillstring;
• mechanically securing the upper end of said first wireline proximate the upper end of said drillstring;
• mechanically and electrically connecting the lower end of said first wireline to said instrumentation probe assembly;
• disposing conductor means between said secured upper end of said first wireline and packoff means above a kelly at the top of said drillstring, said packoff means having a surface cable extending from the exterior thereof to said surface location;
• rotating said drillstring during at least a portion of said drilling operation;
• and
• transmitting information between said instrumentation probe assembly and said surface location through said packoff means while said drillstring is rotating.

An apparatus for the transmission of information between downhole and surface locations, comprising:

• a first wireline extending upwardly from a location proximate the lower end of a drillstring in a borehole to a location intermediate said lower end and said surface location;
• cable means including at least one cable cartridge disposed within said drillstring including a cartridge head and a cable spool secured to and extending downwardly from said cable head, and a length of cable wound on said cable spool and having the upper end thereof mechanically secured to said cartridge head and the lower end thereof mechanically secured to said clamp-off means and electrically connected to said upper end of said first wireline;
• and a second wireline removably mechanically securable at its lower end to said cartridge head of said at least one cable cartridge and removably electrically connectable to said upper end of said cable, the upper end of said second wireline extending to said packoff assembly means;
• clamp-off means for mechanically securing the upper end of said first wireline to said intermediate location, for electrically connecting said upper end of said first wireline to the lower end of said cable means extending upwardly toward said surface location from said clamp-off means, and for mechanically securing said cable means lower end at said intermediate location;
• and
• packoff assembly means for making a pressure-tight electrical connection at said surface location between the upper end of said cable means within said drillstring and the exterior of said drillstring.